Meeting Notes
by WorldsAngel
Summary: I'm no damsel in distress, but we really need a hero, because ours is way too far out of reach. Try hanging in the Troposphere far away. To bad I didn't have those wings I was so found of. OCx? Updated Sundays
1. Where in the World is Here Anyway?

Author's Note: I have a feeling those who read this will either love it or hate it. I found myself poundering both those feelings myself. I think I have obtained what i set out to do, so I am very pleased to present you with the first chapter of my new baby (A.K.A story) Meeting Notes.

This is a BeyBlade first person Fanfiction. I wish you luck on the journey that Annabelle is going to take you on.

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Meeting Notes

Chapter 001

Where in the World is Here Anyway?

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I have a question. Questions have been popping up around me lately, so I have one myself.

What the hell is going on?

Do you have an answer? I sure don't and when I ask, nobody else seems to either.

They should, probably do too. Just no one is telling me.

So why don't I recap everything for you and you can give me an answer, it only sounds fair. I am recapping everything for you anyway.

Sound good?

Do you remember way back when, when beyblading had taken over the world in recreational sporting. Everyone had a blade. Be it competitively or just for fun (not that it wasn't all fun) the people of the world would blade. It seemed like over night the Beyblade became a house hold name. And if you were a blader you knew exactly who the Bladebreakers were. They were the big guys in the blading world.

Conquering anyone who rose against them, even when the past was to come back to haunt one of their own. They were four mighty bladers and their ever handy team mechanic Kenny. "Chief" as everyone called him. He was just as much a staple in the blading world as his friends were. Every since the BBA created a tournament to find the 'top' four bladers they could get, to send them around the world to complete in multiple tournaments, all to become to be World Champions, these boys made headlines. Years later they had grown up, separated and gone back to their original teams in order to get a piece of the real World Champ: Tyson Granger.

Tyson Granger; he was just a regular kid who lived with his grandfather in a small dojo. Who knew what that funny and loud kid would become? Though competition rose between the groups they stayed friends; brothers of the heart if you mind my analogy. Their individual teams clashing and further binding them into history. The PBA All-stars, White Tiger X, G-Revolution and the Blitzkerg Boys. All of them mighty warriors, to stand the tests of time beating all odds. They went up against anything that came their way, standing against anyone who would try to harm or others.

When Hilary, a young girl in Tyson and Kenny's school, came into the light and was introduced to the intense and amazing world of Blading, nobody thought that Tyson's 3 year World Champion streak was going to end. The only one that could possibly stand a chance against that boy was his long time rival and best friend, Kai Hiwatari. I harbour such feelings for that tall and mysterious man. His eyes can give you a chill and goose bumps like no other can. He was not a ladies' man though, very quiet. He was what you call the light house in the group; the rock that kept it all together. That is why he was captain, many people wondered why Tyson wasn't made captain, but that boy was far too unorganized to man a team of youthful boys.

Tyson, he was by far the strongest blader the world had to offer. He was the younger brother of the world famous Jin of the Gale. Tyson had face down not one, but two cyborgs in his day. The first happened when Kai had abandoned the team and rejoined the powerhouse Russian team, Tala was the captain at the time he was so fierce with his Wolborg. Wolborg being his mighty white wolf bitbeast, the wolves breathe alone could freeze the air in your lungs. Tyson pulled Kai from the frozen lake that year effectively sealing there bond. Secondly he befriended a younger boy named Zero, whose mad father recreated his son into a robot and didn't tell him he was. That was quite the mess that Tyson dragged himself and probably the world from disaster.

Tyson; he was our hero, with the mighty Dragoon at his side he faced down mad scientists and crazy men that were so power hungry they created genetically mutated bitbeast. Power like that is not meant to be tampered with. It is pure raw ancient power. Can't be harness, controlled or bring a boy back to life. Sorry, you can try it though. It just can't be done. Minus the boys being as great as they were it was their pure bond with their bitbeast that made them so powerful. It was each of their underlying love and respect that connected the creature to their blader. The boys housed the four secret bitbeast, the Black Turtle of water, the White Tiger of earth, and the Red Phoenix of fire and finally the Blue Dragon of air. Four ancient animals with cosmological power that drove men mad with greed and lust. The names you probably know them as are:

Max Tate's, Draciel.

Rei Kon's, Driger.

Kai Hiwatari's, Dranzer and of course Tyson Granger's, Dragoon.

Just thinking about the day's when Kai and Tyson would face off bring up such excitement. They would fill stadiums; thousands of people would come to see them. People secretly wanting Kai to finally take down the World Champion, other's waiting for Tyson to bring out the fierce Dragoon and really start the show. When I think about those times, those times had to be the best, but those times are gone now though. Tyson, our hero is gone.

The BBA demolished under the weight of an evil man named Boris. The BEGA league bought out the BBA. Do you remember now?

The last stand against the unstoppable force that is and always will be Robert is Tyson. His innocence is forever locked away in a bright and sadistic ball of black rage that hovers over our planet in misery. Our hero is locked in that struggle. We hope he is still locked in that struggle. That Tyson is still alive. While we can only speculate as to what is still going on up there; life down in the macerated planet has continued. The world was covered in a time warp that had been opened by the sheer undisputable force of Robert and his demonic bitbeast: Zeus.

Black spots, as we call them, had been ripped into the surface of our planet creating dark and twisted plains of our Earth's surface. Nothing is delectable in the spots and anything that enters never has been seen or heard from again. That is not all that has changed with the black spots that cropped up the continents have changed completely as well, Manhattan Island becoming raised up out of the Ocean to become a pinnacle poking out of the water. MI as we now call it now; is run by the remaining government. BEGA of course, they now call themselves The Union. Run by Boris himself as a self proclaimed savour of the people. He houses himself in a giant tower, one that overlooks the whole Island where he trains government police and "specialists" as he calls them to track down the 'outsiders'. This tower of his is nicknamed the 'independent' as you can see it from the main land were the survivors of REK Day, the innocents, are housed at. Living is what they like to call it, but it's just an enclosed existence. The main land if you can believe it is actually just Australia. The land mass shifted into the Atlantic making it the only two places that have liveable environments. Liveable as in controlled by The Union.

Ironically enough Russia and some places in Germany are prosperous towns, for those who don't live under the immediate ruling of The Union. Germany is sort of like the Mediterranean now with vast mountain ranges that are bits and pieces of the UK that mashed up on the outside of the country. It's a large run fishing community and a lot of farmers, they supply the Union and occasionally have police run throughout the town for checks. Anything else is under water Up North in the Tundra or in a Black spot. Multiple cities in the states have been abandoned or are run by thugs, becoming places were crime lord's rule and little man is killed every night.

Now that I have filled you in on what you're dealing with now, I think I should introduce myself. Maybe, give you a better background on what the famous boys are up to now eh?

My name is Annabel, one of my many names that you will learn. I'm one of the outsiders. I use to be a dweller on the Island till Max Tate, Maxi to those who are close to him, stumbled upon my office building. I had just been hired as the assistant to the Director of Integration. An outreach program that integrated 'outsiders' to the new ways of life. To help them see the light and come back to the real world. My parents were so proud when I received an invitation saying that I had been selected to go to MI. I was going to receive an award for all the hard work I had done for The Union. Few people were allowed to board helicopters and actually step foot on MI. It's such a great honour, what you would call really high society, the A-List celebrity status of your time.

I was just finishing up a file in my office when I heard over the intercom that an outsider had breached the building. For some reason outsiders were coming to the Island more and more of their own accord, quite shocking to say the least? News would cast them rampaging through the neighbourhoods, people began saying that they were looking for someone. I remember looking up and seeing Max standing in my doorway. His blue eyes locked with mine. In the seconds it took my office the curtains were drawn, the lights shut off. He locked the door from the inside and I stood there thinking I was going to die. When he turned around he had a smile plastered on his face and asked how my day was.

I don't know how, and I don't know why but I left with him that day. When I look back I can't even remember what he said to make me go with him, but the truth is I did. I fallowed Max out of the office building and through the city. We took the subway and I sat across from him. His hands were behind his head. He wore soft suit looking pants and a blazer of a darker shade. His hair was shorter than it is now and his eye's weren't as jaded. We got off about twelve stops later and he took my hand, we crossed the street and got into a car that was parked. We drove for the rest of the day and well into the night. Tree's, buildings, parks with family's all passed us and soon became an old interstate that took us far away from the city.

When he pulled onto a gravel road I had finally come to my senses. The thought of this guy being a serial killer wasn't in my mind; those things are unheard of on the Island. There is no crime only on the outside, but it finally sunk in that this guy was in fact an outsider. I began to panic and looked around for a weapon encase he tried to attack me. When we came to a stop and the doors unlocked I bolted. I ran so far and then circled back to the car thinking he'd chase me. I was planning on hot wiring the car and leaving as fast as possible. You can only imagine my surprise when I got back to the car, to find two other men standing with Max. They were so casual; leaning against the vehicle just chatting like old friends. They didn't even notice me at first. It wasn't till I cleared my throat that they looked up and stepped towards me. Both of the other men stopped when Max put an arm out.

"So you came back?" Max smiled at me for the hundredth time that day.

"You aren't going to kill me, are you?" The matter of fact way I replied set them off. I was so mad that they were laughing at my expense. Flight or fight reflex right? I was human.

"No we're not going to kill you, but I do have a question." Max replied after he calmed down. "Why did you come with me when I asked?"

"I don't know. I think I might be dreaming or maybe you slipped something in my drink?" I pinched myself just encase.

"Firstly, from that pinch you just gave yourself you most defiantly are not dreaming. Unfortunately this is reality." His eyes narrowed slightly watching my movements. "Secondly, there was no drink if I remember correctly."

Max walked closer as he spoke till he grabbed both my hands in his. For some reason I watched the action, to know he was so much bigger and stronger than me made me mad as hell. What was worse was that I wasn't scared anymore. I kicked him in the shin though, I felt trapped and that was my way of letting him know. He just grunted and squeezed my hands. I started to cry and he pulled me into a hug.

"I came with you because I had to. I can remember, what happened before." I paused not really sure I completely understood "Some of it, I think."

I sobbed into his shirt which was somehow replaced with a bright green t-shirt and a blue and red jacket. When I broke down I kept thinking about all the people I had trapped; thinking that I was helping them. What a wasted existence I had leaded.

This is why I exist now, to avenge all the terrible, terrible wrongs that have happened because of it. I hated who I was, what I stood for. If I remember correctly Max had my put his coat on. I was still dressed in nothing but a pants suit I wore to the office that day. I think I had one of those scarfs around my neck, a deep blue, I think.

Taking Max's hand he led me together with the new men deeper into the forest. When we emerged after hours of walking a long stretch of white sandy beaches and a vast amount of ocean stood before me, I felt like I had just walked out of the darkness. Somehow that long dark walk had purified a bit of my soul.

A little row boat was dragged far up the shore. It was there that I was introduced to probably the most powerful man, I would ever know. His eyes were hidden behind sharp looking sun glasses; they glinted in the low morning light. The sun was just coming up and for some reason that made him look even more surreal. Like some sort of titan that emerged from the low fog that was slowly dispersing from the sun.

The only thing passing through my mind was, just how much danger I was in now. For some reason warning flags shot up through my mind. Goose bumps traveled all the way up my arms.

This was _the_ outsider. The man that if Boris knew was still alive would probably make him loose sleep at night, and here he was right in front of me.

"Well Max, seems you still can get the job done." His posture was one of absolute self confidence.

This was _Jin of Gale,_ in flesh and looking mighty fierce.

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Well that ws really different. I am not use to writing in the first person, (if you have read my others stories you know that they are never this intense in nature), and it was very wierd.

I hope you enjoyed this, even with all the information overload going on, because I have a lot in store for you.

Happy Writings!


	2. Mission Possible

Note: **This is actually the first chapter.** The last was a prequel, more of s setting set up. Enjoy!

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Meeting Notes

Chapter 002

Mission Possible

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"Well Max, seems you still can get the job done." His posture was one of absolute self confidence. Arms crossed he swung his head to the large ship that was floating off shore.

"A little faith would have been nice." Rubbing the back of his neck Max turned to me. I watched him for a few seconds before I noticed that everyone's eyes were located in my direction. It's really uncomfortable to have so many eyes on you at once. I started to scrim, you would have to.

I had to be dreaming Jin can't be alive.

"My name is Jin of the Gale, little one." Jin confirmed my thoughts with his introduction. My breath caught, how was this possible?

"Your suppose to be dead, right?" For some reason my blunt response seemed to come from someone else. I shocked myself, my voice sounded as if I wasn't mine but someone completely different.

Max and the others behind me laughed, still frazzled from the last time they laughed at me I placed my hands on my hips. I felt my frown deepen; anxiety seemed to creep along my flesh. I tried to convince myself I was sleeping at home when "Jin of the Gale" turned away from me. I hope he wasn't mad he looked more dangerous then I imagined, not somebody you wanted on your bad side.

"She's the one alright." He shot me a half smirk over his shoulder before pushing the small row boat into the water. The two other guys that had walked through the woods with us pushed one I hadn't seen before. I watched Max help Jin push the boat till they were waist deep in the water. Jin hoisted himself into the boat and grabbed the oars Max fallowed suit. I looked at the other two as they were both in the boat as well.

"What about me?" My cupped hands so it carried my voice over the breaking water.

Max turned to look at me, Jin spoke and the two seemed to argue about something. Raising his hand, the taller boy in the other boat jumped back in the water and came for me. Grunting a little he bent down to my height and threw me over his shoulder. A startled shout escaped my lips but in a matter of minutes I was thrown into the bottom of the boat. Pushing myself up I came face to face with wet legs wrapped in white cloth. Matching boots had multiple belts running up the pant legs with blue straps and silver buckles.

"Sit down, or we won't be able to catch up." The red head who hadn't said a word till now pushed me back on my behind, the boat rocked a little from my repositioning. His voice was low and almost hushed, like speaking to was a secret. I felt the boat tip a little and glanced back to see the big man get into the boat. Water dripped from both pooling in the bottom, my dress pants were now soaked straight through, how I hate wet underwear. Max had taken his jacket back from me on the beach, so without a proper jacket I was left wet and cold. My hair probably looked ridiculous; my hair clip was barely keeping half of it out of my face, let alone the water. For some reason I was possible more self conscious of my appearance in the present of these two than I was on my first date. I stayed quiet like them for the trip out, we came up alongside the other boat and the red head grabbed the long rope ladder and pulled me up out of the water logged rower. I ascended up the huge ships side till I reached the top.

I have to tell you- pulling a full day's work at the office, the walk, the breakdown on Max and the serious climb up the side of a ship. I was more than just ridiculously tired, I was about to pass out from exhaustion. I remember thinking that I should be thankful I'm alive, but could Jesus send me a pillow and a bed. My feet hurt and I probably had blisters on my blister from walking in high heels this whole time.

I fallowed my two nameless rowers down into the ships hotel looking interior, after we had all arrive on deck. I took this time to scan over the two. I was in this alone, so I had to be smart and not miss anything around. I was an agent of The Union, I didn't get there by just sitting around and letting people do my work for me. The red head was by far the better looking one. His long red hair was almost the same length as mine; but tied back at the nape of his neck. Two stands of lighter reddish hair stayed at shoulder length to frame his face. His eye's from what I saw when he spoke to me on the boat where an icy blue colour. Remembering the way he watched me when I had been introduced to Jin of the Gale had me shivering just a little. The taller more beefy looking guy seemed to catch my action as he dropped his half soaked bomber vest around my shoulders grunting again. He had a bright red folded bandana around his head capped by his blond-brownish hair. Black commando pants and huge steel toed boots completed his more than military look.

"Thank you- ah." I stopped walking pulling their attention. "My name is Annabelle. I'm sure you know that, but who are you?"

I hadn't intended to sound so rude or accusing of the two, for they had left me alone with my thoughts. The fact that I still had no clue where I was going or who they were still had my mind reeling. With this paused I bent and unstrapped my high heels from my swollen feet. "What exactly is this place? A ship?"

The red head leaned down to my size, shorter now without the foot wear. He placed a hand on both my shoulders; his eye's level to mine stared straight at me. I remember thinking that he was some sort of psychic that he could just look into my eyes and see everything that I have done. That he could see straight into my very soul, just know who and what I was about. For what felt like a life time we stayed that way before he got up he went to the other one. The two walked a little ways away and started to whisper, I didn't bother listening in, I was more than occupied with trying not to crumble again. This red head knew how to cut to the core of a person. Soon the taller guy came to me.

"For purposes that you couldn't understand at this time, we can not tell you. You may be bugged by The Union operatives." He grunted again as he stood straight, the two carried on down the hall we were in. I ran after them, my mind asking thousands of questions a second. One I can recall quite clear: what was with the taller one always grunting?

When I caught up with them they were standing in front of an odd and intricate looking wooden door. So far the only organic looking thing the boat had-minus being surrounded by ocean water. The taller one knocked on the door it swung opened and inside was pitch black with an eerie glow that came from somewhere in the depth of that darkness. Looking back I see how ridiculous my reaction was. If I hadn't of struggled the guys wouldn't of had to drag me in. I wouldn't have screamed when I was tossed and they wouldn't have left me alone grumbling as they went. I curled up on myself, muttering about my own stupidity. I could have been at home, eating a microwave dinner watching some sort of nature program.

"But no- you had to be adventurous and go with the cute boy who smiled at you." Pushing a hand through my tangled half wet hair I tried to not devour myself with self pity, speaking of which my stomach startled to growl. "Jesus Annabelle let's get a grip on yourself. You've been bloody abducted by a ruthless group of outsiders. Probably looking for a ransom you don't have the money for."

The comment went unanswered, because I knew they wouldn't harm me. I knew, I knew these people at least I did at one point. I can't fully remember everything, but Max had come for me. I was important so I would at least live out the night. There was so much missing, something really important that I couldn't piece together yet. I shook my head to get rid of the nausea that had my stomach rolling, diving into the grey fuzzy area of my memory made me sick. Where had that grey area come from anyway?

At that moment a bright white luminescent light flicked on over head, my eye's burned with from the blinding effect it had. I was actually on a hospital bed pushed into the corner. Two women entered the doctor office looking room. White walls and a humming machine in the corner; complete with several drawn curtains had the room feeling like a completely different place instead of the inside of a ship. The entire place needed was a few circulatory system charts and couple windows and you wouldn't even know you were out at sea.

"Annabelle; my name is Hilary. I'll be the one doing your check up." Her short choppy brown hair and bright auburn eye's twinkled a little. I felt safer than I thought responsible with the two. The mousy looking women had brought the humming machine over to us. She did not introduce herself.

"If you wouldn't mind stripping out of your wet clothing articles, I have a house coat here for you. The last thing we want is for you to catch a cold or worse hypothermal." Hilary turned to her partner as I got out of my wet ties to my old life. Now covered in head to toe by a towel like house coat I sat back down on the bed. Hilary sat in a wooden chair that she brought from over by the door. Crossing her legs she checked a clip board in her lap. I watched her study it bored before she sat straighter in her seat and put her eye's back on me.

"Now Annabelle, may I call you Anna?" Nodding my head she continued. "This machine here will help us tell if you're bugged. We can't leave till we know you're safe to be around."

The other women brought what looked like a florescent bar towards me. It reminded me of a light sabre from those Star Wars movies. My face must have shown fright because Hilary assured me it wouldn't hurt. The women passed the bar over my body; having me stand, bend and turn, all the while Hilary watched the screen, making little notes on the pages of her clipboard.

"She's done."

"Thank you Monica." Hilary spoke as she motioned for me to sit back down. Hilary's face never made any out of the ordinary moments; she just held that kind and thoughtful expression you see in the face of children doctors. The women now known as Monica left the room through the door I had come in.

"Please have a sit Anna." Hilary asked as she put a blood pressure monitor around my arm. I did, watching the door close behind Monica. Thoughts of escaping entered my mind briefly as the site of the hall disappeared. What would running do for me? I was stranded on ship, for all I know we could have left the moment I stepped foot on it deck. Just how long had passed since meeting Max, I knew it was at least twelve hours, for I watched the sunrise with the two strange guys rowing me to the ship.

"Anne, are you paying attention?" Hilary snapped her fingers in my face. Hilary must have been asking me questions, but I wasn't listening. She seemed a little concerned about me and released the pressure on my arm. The questions I'm assuming are the same ones that doctors ask you at routine check ups.

"Sorry, I was thinking about what time it was." For some reason the time really concerned me." I don't really know what the time is."

I'm almost positive it was a combination of hunger, exhaustion and sensory overload that had my vision blurring at that moment. That or the sudden stop of blood to my right appendage had my heart sputtering. I don't know what happened after that, but I passed out on the hospital bed after Hilary's question that I never actually answered. When I awoke I was bundled in a large cotton comforter. My eyes wouldn't open for a few seconds and I could feel the sleep crunches in the corners. My arms felt like they were made of lead when I moved them to rub my eyes. I lied quietly for a long time after that I listened. Basically it was pitch black and I refused to open my eye's to see nothing all I could hear was a constant hum and I probably fell asleep again once or twice while waiting.

It wasn't till I pushed myself up, that I notice I was actually on a big bed. There was light now I could make things out. Running a hand through my messy hair I turned to a port hole in the ship. That was where the light was coming from. It took a couple seconds for the light in my head to register that I could see where I was, but when it did I lean forward to look out. My heart sank and thumped rather hard in my chest, I wish I had not looked. Ice, snow and water; water so dark it looked black. Icebergs floated by the ship, and far away as well from where I could see out.

I was on a big ship that was in the arctic.

I absolutely hate the cold.

"Surprise! Never would of thought that we'd be up here did you?" Jin was leaning on the door jamb of the room. His glasses where gone, but from the distance he was at I still couldn't see his eyes. "Come and eat, little one. You need more strength for what is in store for you."

I narrowed my eyes as he placed a tray on a round wooden table in the corner. The room was like a rectangle the door being at one end and a table with a dresser at the other. Three port holes ran along the far side, the bed I was in, was in the middle of the room under one. Still wrapped in the blanket I scooted to the far end of the bed. I wanted to get as far away as possible without leaving the warmth and comfort of my bed. Sitting down in one of the two chairs by the table, Jin's face twisted in amusement.

"You have to eat, you can't go hungry."

I said nothing, but sending a glare at him he laughed. He got up and brought the tray to the bed placing it at the farthest end from me. He sat down beside it, one leg crossed over the other, his legs crossed casually enough. I watched him for a few seconds while he watched me. His eyes were the same colour as Hilary's, but hers were warm like liquid gold; his were sharp like a bird of prey. I noticed also that his blader outfit was exchanged for one that he wore when he couched, a simple pair of jeans and a sweater. His hair was shorter and kept really even, still long enough to tie it back, but short enough that it looked decent down.

"Stop calling me little one." I tuned my head to the side, not looking at him for a second. "I'm an adult, I'm not a child."

I waited a few seconds before my stomached growled, then crawled a little closer reaching for the apple that was on the tray. My wrist was caught instantly by his, his grip a little unbearable. He pulled me forward and brought his other hand to my face. I thought he was going to hit me, I flinched and closed my eyes so tight they hurt, my mouth slightly open just waiting for the hit.

"Look at me." His voice was so soft I thought I heard something else at first. The blanket had fallen off me when he dragged me across the bed. The cold was there instantly and I shivered not only from that but his touch was surprisingly gently when he cupped my face, pulling my chin up. Our eyes were perfectly level; mine wide in fear and his narrowed. I felt exposed that same way I was when that red headed guy did the same. Jin was so close to me I could feel his breath on my face, but within seconds he abruptly he pulled away and pushed the apple in my hand. Jin stood and walked to the table sitting in the chair again. Arms crossed and his face masked in an emotionless expression.

"The apple is good, we don't poison our guest." The fact that he mocked me when I could do nothing but stare at the thing in my hand brought me straight to the defence. I fast pitched the thing at him and when he made to catch it I threw the next thing my hands could reach. I repeated the process till I stood on the bed gasping for breath with nothing left around me. The tray effectively on the floor and oat meal sliding down the wall behind him, the bowl that had housed the sweet smelling stuff was cracked in two on the floor. I pulled my arms around me and scream, collapsing to the bed. Frustrated beyond belief, my emotions, my thoughts, even my identity were completely stolen from me.

I just didn't know what to do.

After a good long cry that included many more screams of frustration, I sat there drawing breath. My legs pulled up to my chest with my head resting on them, Jin still sat at the table. His quiet presence a constant reminder of what my life was now. I was a complete mess, a total shame.

"I want to know Jin." I saw his eyes open through my bangs. His were calculating, as if seeing I could handle his next move. "I can't remember it all, there is still so much grey. What's going on?"

"You were captured a little while after REK Day." He leaned forward resting his chin on his laced hands. It was then that I saw the lines on his face, the tired look in his eyes. "We have been trying to find where you were for 2 years now; we only found out that you were actually working for The Union as an agent about a month ago. It took us longer than we thought to gain access to the Island and entre codes to your office building."

"Damon and Max are on their way." Jin stood up and started for the door. "We'll talk more lately; from what was said they are excited to meet you" He cast a look at me over his shoulder. "Shower and get dressed. I'll send someone to clean this, little one."

"Don't call me that. I'm older than you." My short reply was followed by a door closing behind the man. After a pause, the humming sound from earlier returned to my ears. Jin told me nothing really, but enough to help me calm myself down again. My temper has always been something that I struggle with. I tend to act out of frustration a lot, but not as bad as back then. I hopped down off the bed and froze my feet to metal floor. Taking a look around I notice a door to the back left of the rectangular room. Sure enough after a little inspection it was indeed a bathroom, small but a shower was perfect and most defiantly what I needed. Walking back to the dresser by the table I pulled the drawers inspecting the clothes, my options were not exactly appealing to the fashionista inside me. Where was my tailored jacket, my creamy silk shirt?

"May I come in?" A knock on the door and a muffled question came from my right. Max walked in a short second later carrying another plate of food and wearing a cheerful smile. "Hello, sunshine. Hear you needed room service?"

I scowled at the boy. "What do you want?"

His cheerful disposition annoyed me at the moment, plus my temper tantrum with Jin still embarrassed me. He came in and slumped into the chair that Jin had occupied. He tossed some toast my way which I devoured on contact. Picking through the other drawers I found a face cloth and a towel. "I'm going to shower. Don't eat my breakfast while I'm in there."

Max stopped picking at my fruit salad long enough o cast me a look of guilt; he winked and took a bit of my new apple. "When you're done, make sure your wearing something. I don't want to have to dress you again."

"Not like you did a better job." I looked down purposely at the mid bearing long sleeved shirt. It was a dark hunter green, the little pair of shorts I had on severed as nothing that gave warmth, probably why I cocooned myself in my blanket. "You could have at least given me some flannel PJ's."

Closing the door to his laughing I put the put the towel on the side of the sink, surprisingly the small place was very clean. The shower was a closed in glass case that sat in the corner, kiddie to the toilet. A square mirror housed a sunken in cabinet behind it, looking through the thing I found a tooth brush, some paste and a comb. All simple but everything that I really needed was housed in it. Closing the mirror I looked at myself. My skin was blotchy from lack of sleep and the tears I cried made my swore eyes had become swollen and red. I had black patches under my eyes; I didn't know just how tired I was. Maybe Max would let me sleep some more? I highly doubted it, but worth a shot.

I took the comb and started to pull it through my tangled hair. The red and gold strands were twice the length of Jin's, meeting somewhere along my lower back. I gave up and hoped there was at least a conditioner in my shower. The hot water was pure bliss and it felt to short, but the knock on the bathroom door had me turning it off and stepping out.

Swinging the door open I walked back into the cold open room. Max stood with half my bowl of cereal in his hands, taking a glance at the tray I thanked baby Jesus that there was still a little bit of fruit. A tall man with long white hair tied back in a long pony tail, had me rethinking myself having long hair. His eyes were a very deep green but had flakes of gold in them that stood out form were I stood across the room. He wore a very well made suit of grey with a dark forest green shirt under it. Their conversation stopped when I coughed into my hand, both cast looks my way.

"Now that's a better look for you Annabelle." Max grinned from his spot. "Now that you're with us you have to look the part. That thing you were in the other day. It did nothing for you."

Raising my brow I shook my head at him, not quite understanding why the boy was flirting with me. "It was all there was in my dresser."

An awkward silence started then, Max oblivious to it was inclined to let his eye's wonder my person. Really I needed to inform who ever held this room, they really needed better taste. Not sure what to make of the situation I chose to introduce me to the obviously shy man. "You must be Damon. My name is Annabelle, pleased to meet you."

The man nodded his head at me, recognition that he had heard, but said nothing. His arms hung stiff at his side matching the level his white hair hung at. I'd say he was rude and I did feel a little put off by his presence, something about it felt different to me, so the fact that I was jilted conversationally was uncared for. We watched each other for a while till he walked to me, hand out.

"You are Annabelle." He spoke quietly, and like he confirmed I was who I really said I was. "Nice to finally meet you, it has been quite difficult for you this time."

I had to smile a little; he was so awkward it was pathetic really. Kinda of like those wayward geeks that transform when they come of age but hold no real social skills.

"D, man chill." Max reached for my fruit salad, trying to finish off what he started. I slapped his hand from my little meal. I felt ravenous at the thought of food; I didn't know I'd have to protect it like some animal. "This is a great thing that has happened; we shouldn't be stiff and formal with each other. We should celebrate this small victory."

Smiling through my mouthful of food I watched Damon shuffle in step. His ego a tad bruised but his eyes averted to the doorway.

"This isn't a victory Max, just a stepping stone." Rei Kon, the Chinese White Tiger, an ultimate predator: stood in my door way. His golden tiger eyes flashed, highlighting a scar on the right side of his face. Somehow it heightens his sharp and handsome good looks. It ran from his eye brow and a little over his eye.

If I was the she wolf type, I would have whistled for the stunner. Instead a squirmed a little under his gold sight. He watched me the same way everyone did when I encountered someone knew. "Out of everyone, I have to say you look the most like your true self."

"Uh-" Max turned his eyes to me as well. "Oh yeah! That's why when I saw her walk into her office back at the Island I knew it was her."

"What?"I cocked a hand on my hip swinging it out. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't talk about me like I'm not here."

Rei brought himself forward he came to stand beside Damon, they restless nature that I saw in the man ceased almost instantly. The one thing that stood out was their obvious closeness to one another. Damon nudged Rei's foot with is, I remember cocking an eye brow and catching Max's eye on that he shrugged and sent me another wink. I'd have to talk to him about that. Damon's actions were very innocent, like that of a child's. Something a little brother does to his older brother when he's nervous. This wasn't what a grown man did, especially someone as professional looking as Damon.

That saying was really true, you can't judge a book by its cover can you?

"Jin sent me to come get you Annabelle." Rei gave me a sharp look, one that had meaning, of what I'm not sure. For the short time he was with me I tried avoiding his looks, even if his eyes were guled to me. I felt like I was under a scanner. The one's we used on rehabilitated members while they were on probation.

"Damon here will show you the way."

Damon started to walk out of the room as soon as Rei spoke, not completely sure what was going on I stood from my seat casting looks from the table after Damon's back. Snagging the last piece of toast, it was the one thing that Max hadn't half devoured, I distinctly heard Rei's voice.

"Max I need to speak with you."Hearing that phrase sent my body on alert, I stopped and cast a look over my shoulder. Rei had taken a seat in the chair I had vacated. Max's face was as hard as ice; something about the undercurrents in the room had me sprinting off after the samurai looking man in a suit.

Damon had brought me up to the holding rooms of the ship, there he handed me a large and much insulated winter suit. A half ski mask, goggles, mittens that stuck into large leather gloves that went up to my elbows, and slippers. It took fifteen minutes to put it all on; this was done of course in absolute silence. I had tried to make conversation once or twice but gave up after realising that a shrug or grunt was the extent of Damon's vocabulary.

He then lead me down a hallways that looked just like all the other hallways and to a big metal door, it was just like the one that I went through with the mystery men when I had entered, granted this one was painted red instead of that dull steal colour. Damon bent down and put my feet in to giant boots that weighed about the same as I did and laced them up. It wasn't till Damon stood and started to close another red door around us that I had noticed we were in a chamber like room.

"Jin is waiting for you." Damon backed up and closed the red door behind me. A vacuum sealing sound scared the crap out of me and I grabbed the door handle. Damon shook his head and pointed. "Hold your breath, the first one always stings a bit."

Sure enough bitter cold, slammed into me from behind. I could feel it creeping into my outer wear. I placed a leather mitt to my face finding it frozen solid, my lips instantly cracked, my cheek felt like I had frost bite already. Dragging the ski mask down around my face I turned and proceed to become blinded by the white of everything. I had been left for dead in a sea of white. I didn't even really get a last meal. I sank to my knee's sobs leaving my mouth although you'd never hear it over the wail of the wind.

Wait what was that?

A blur?

A large gray blur in the distance, if I was to be a writer the words looming in the distance sound right. I reached to my right and pulled myself up on the rope tied to the door.

A rope?

Where'd that rope come from?

Trudging through the snow took so much effort, the wind pushing me to the ground along with the weight of my protective clothing. Thank god, I decided to use that gym membership my mother gave me. Well my pretend mother. With all the new memory's I was getting somewhere along the line of finding Jin was alive and discovering I had been kidnapped and white washed into Union society I discovered I didn't know who my real parents were. Probably tucked or stuck in the grey area of my mind. I was starting to sweat from the effort it took to pull myself forward along the rope's path, the inch by inch rate I was going at I'd die of hypothermal by the time I got there. I had to take a break I was becoming worked up and starting to have a panic attack about my current situation. Sitting down, well plopping down in the snow, I leaned back and hit my head.

"Son of a-" The clang of my skull on the side of something had my headache returning and a slight haze entered my sight. I really hit my head hard, when I had enough strength to pull myself up and drag myself to the door millimetres away, Hilary was there waiting with a blanket. When she saw the cracked ski mask and my out of focus sight, she was on me like white on rice.

Needless to say I didn't get to Jin for a couple hours. Hilary told me I had a slight concussion, fed me and gave me hot chocolate. Than annoyed beyond belief; muttering about going to give those idiots a piece of her mind, she stormed out of the room like true Hilary Hurricane. I sat there in the kitchen bunker with an ice pack on the back of my head and a cup of coco in my hand and didn't know what to do.

Close to yet another break down, I relayed the events to myself. "Okay Annabelle, this is nothing. Just a minor setback in the plan of life you have. So you thought you'd settle down raise a family, live happily ever after? That kinda stuff is not for everyone." My thought process was out loud of course. Who could actual think with a concussion and the shit I had just been through; your brain does not function normally.

"Get a grip, you like adventure. Max brought you through a forest, you have meet someone that was supposed to be dead, survived a total conscious over load and the white abyss outside. You got this, no worries." Staring into the cup of brown goodness as if it had answers I shook my head gloomy thoughts away and chugged the last bit. I think all in all I can give pretty good pep talks. "There all better now, just got to find some proper cloths, find out where the hell you are and carry on with your life."

"That's a great attitude, little one." That mocking voice could only be from Jin of the Gale, "Although I don't see why you ever thought I died."

Sure enough, the man was right behind me hunched over the counter. "Care to answer my questions now?'

He came to the small breakfast table I sat at. The papers and files that were bunched under his elbow slapped down in front of me. "This is what you're looking for. Some answers need proof, I had to locate this file before I told you what's what."

Picking up the file on top I flipped through it. The pages were messages, documented radio calls, some stuff about test tube and cryogenics, cyber optics and holy beast. "What is this? I don't know anything about this?'

Jin held up a file to me a picture paper clipped to the inside reviled multiple glass tubes that sat on top of alien looking machinery. The tubes were full of this blue glowing liquid with purple and red lights that played with the image. Not fully understanding I started to flip through the pages. There were more pictures similar but from different angles, there was one of multiple large cables that lead down a hallway, the end glowed an awful green colour. Everything was looking to science fiction to me, I was about to close the file when a name on a page popped out to me.

Dr. Escobar. For some reason his name was there on the edge of that grey area in my mind.

"This was taken on our only recon mission to MI." Jin pointed to the picture clipped to the file. "We took a huge hit and haven't been back." Jin leaned back into his chair. He's brows were drawn together.

"This man right here. The doctor as most people call him." Jin pointed to a picture from the back I hadn't seen a stranger looking man in my life. A long black coat, tied to hide a rather large hunch on his back. If possible it became more noticeable. His one eye had a robotic spectacle over it, the other half of his face is shadowed and slightly blurry as if the taker of the photo had been in a major hurry.

"Dr. Escobar?"

At that Jin nodded and he handed me another sheet of paper. It was typed document of research findings, it read out like a diary entry. The date was for 4 years previous.

Nothing about this moment do I remember clearly, funny how those things work? I just told you in pretty heavy detail the last two days, but the one that possible changed everything about me I can't remember very well. I think I blocked it out. What I do remember is Jin telling me it was all true, he left me after a quick explanation and handed me a jump drive, a floor plan of the complex and a key card. Now that I think about it, he was probably more uncomfortable in my presence than I am in Rei's.

Funny, to think that this top secret underground base was all up in the north parts of the world, Boris would kick himself for not looking up here. With good cause though, this place it not for extreme funding and half of it surviving REK DAY, it was virtually unsociable. The constant whiteout storms outside make it impossible to find them with nothing but dirt and metal this base was radar free, the north was filled with copper minds and other metallic deposits that anything picked up out here was written off as that. Nothing.

Isn't that just pure genius on their part?

So there I was world fully rocked, completely alone and tired, so bloody tired. I had no direction anymore, I had no identity. Hell, I wasn't even human really. Genetically modified, by a man by the name of Dr. Escobar; a patron of Boris. Both holed up in the love nest on MI, doing things that not even god can bring himself to know about. Boris had me made from a pre-existing holy beast, which was why I couldn't remember. My mind was not a mind but an essence of something that wasn't meant to be tampered with. Boris, in all his glory just couldn't sit still after annihilating the world; he captured the roaming bitbeast in containment tubes. Dr. Escobar created a highly adhering chemical that mingled with our genetic makeup, going beyond cyber bitbeast and actual started playing god. He grew new human life from our very energy.

It was so insane that I couldn't help but feel in awe of it, to think that someone held that power and they chose to employ it as a part of The Union, as a government worker. Just how many beast had they turned. Turned, I didn't know what else to call it. How many partnership had been destroyed, did I even have a partner? Was I allowed an ally in battle of my own?

I couldn't remember anything, nothing the latest memory I have is something about receiving my education certificate from The Union Academy. Funny how I didn't even think about my memories before, you think someone would reflect. Think about how they got to where there are now. I don't remember ever doing that, it was always the future, and the present.

What the hell was I to do now?

Pocketing both the key card and the flash drive I picked up the paper Jin left behind. Two doorways led into the kitchen on Jin had come into, the other he had left through. What is that old saying? When lost on the path of life stop and ask for directions?

Well, in my case I had floor plans, guess that would work for now.

* * *

Note: Okay, so this was only suppose to be about 2,000 words. Turns out I had a lot to say?

Now I know this could become confusing but this is actually chapter number 1, the other chapter was kinda like a prequel, and to help everyone get a grips for the steering ad what going on in this moment in time. You could call it a different dimension? Is post apocalyptic world to weird to handle?

I'm kinda basing the scenario off of The Book of Eli movie, if that helps.

Hope to hear what you think, promise updates will come every Monday!

Happy Writings!


	3. Today is Not Like Yesterday

Meeting Notes

Chapter 003

Today Is Not Like Yesterday.

* * *

What the hell is that noise?

My eyes cracked open and I inhaled. The old mouldy mattress I slept on screeched as I made to move onto my back. The thing had nearly rotted away at the end where my wool socked feet hung over the edge. It was early in the morning, the sun was barley up, but it was bright. The abandoned industrial loft I was currently living in did nothing to hide the smell from the fish market outside. The sheet rock was cracked on every wall doing nothing to keep the moisture out of the brick work walls. This place would have been a nice dwelling had it been taken care of.

There is that damn noise again.

I sat up, cast a look around and spotted heavy steel toed work boots.

"Open the damn door Ashley!" A very aggressive and very gruff sounding voice shouted from the other side of my steel door. The only reason I opted for this place. Loud knocking could be heard after a couple of choice words along with what I think was- a kicking sound?

Toby; that dumb half ape was banging on my door. Putting a hand to my head, I shook it and ran to the stainless freezer packing door. Pushing the dead bolt I stepped back as the door swung open, stopping abruptly as the chain lock caught.

"What the hell took you, open the damn door Ashley!" Scowling he swung the door back closed and waited for the scrapping sound that fallowed with me removing the swinging lock. "Jesus girl, you gave us a scare when you did show up at the west dock this morning."

The behemoth of a man was sincere in his words. He looked around the old meat locker I had turned into a loft. Homey and disastrous it was, but for now I was decent. Toby was what people would have called lumber jack looking. His big meaty arms were hidden under dark curly hair. The same kind of hair curled around the caller of his back and grey plaid shirt. Currently his baby blue eyes, the only thing that gave away his softer nature, were set to looking at me. His mouth the size of a dinner plate was twisted into a half sneer, half scowl.

"What have you been doing? You not even dressed." He went to the sink and started to fill one of the dual copper pots I found and washed from the alley behind the building. "I'll make you some coffee. Put some damn clothes on women."

I looked down at my sleeping attire; big wool socks that pulled up to my knee caps and some shorts from the Island I stole before coming here. "Gee Tobin, make yourself at home why don't you."

"Scram Ashes, you don't even want to know how mad Vincent was when you didn't show. You're lucky I assured him you were dead or dying someplace." He turned back to me. "You better have a good reason for me to not kill you myself girl."

Smiling from ear to ear I swished into the make shift bathroom. The hose line from the freezer served as my water pipes, the tiled floor already slopped down to where the drain was located so the shower curtain I hung around the area was good enough cover. The water was cold but it was best. My groggy eye's soon became sharp, the one's I needed to be the infiltrator that I was.

You see, I may have just infiltrated a small but vicious thug group off the coast of what was left of Maine, the poor state was filled with pin prick looking black spots. So the area around it was filled with nothing but the old fishing community and a drug lord from Miami, which is less than 60,000 feet of water by the way. The life and status of people dropped significantly in the world looking like something out of that movie The Book of Eli after REK DAY. With the drug lord came the low life's that do all the dirty work. Vincent headed that group my group of low lives, he is a hawkish looking man. Very thin and tall; knew how to make even a burly guy like Toby shake a little. His eyes, it was all in his eyes.

I am the newbie who joined the ranks and as always before jumping head long into it all Vincent needed me. A great reason I was surviving now. I was small enough to hit the locals and just sweet enough to get into the bigger places that required a little finesse when committing thievery. Not to mention I had a certain pull with the strong arms of the operations. I.E. Tobin. Swinging the shower curtain open I wrapped a towel around me, located on one of the few hooks to my left. Smiling I watched Toby curse up a storm in the makeshift kitchen. Cooking, even making coffee wasn`t something that man did. He would more than likely go to ROXEY`S down on wellington, the local dinner that Roxey`s daughter now ran. Mostly everyone in the area used it as the morning breakfast, lunch and dinner eatery. Unless you had someone make your food for you, but that was more of an Island thing. That was where all the fish and the farmers outside of the Maine area sent there haul.

Irrelevant to you, of course, but you can now get the picture of what I'm doing and dealing with.

Slapping on some sun lotion I wrapped a big and towel like house coat around my frame and proceeded to the kitchen.

"You big idiot, if you didn't know how to make coffee why volunteer. Let's just go to the dinner." Taking the somehow burnt coffee grinds away from the man I threw them out the window: my means of a garbage can. The alley was littered with filth anyway. "Let me get dressed and we'll go."

Pushing him out the door I told him to keep watch while I pulled on the last of my clean undergarment. Scowling I pushed pass the big dolt when I finished and locked up the place. Not having at least clean underwear on was a bad sign. It meant I had spent too much time here, and I was losing again.

What the hell am I doing? I was coming up empty again, Jin would not be happy. This was the fifth time we were so close and I couldn't even pick up on the target the whole month I had been here. I was only briefed for the next week or so before I was suppose to leave. Sooner if I found what I was after. Dammit, it was all happening again, had i somehow miss judged my abilities in this area, had I really lost my sense?

Fortunately the man with me could sense my mood and chose to be a silent companion on the walk to the dinner. I pulled at my brown worn gloves, the weather was colder than yesterday, and my mittens were stuffed into large leather gloves that I had stolen from one of the boatmen at the dock. They still smelled of fish, but it smelled of fish everywhere.

"Wait." Tobin put a hand out in front of me. A truck from the Island passed by us, the silver sterile looking thing passed and was more out of place in the swamp like town than a straight guy at a Gay Pride Convention. The thing was jacked up on truck tires and the windows were blacked out. I pulled my cross-stitch toque low over my ears and eyebrows. You could see out but never in, but I knew what it looked like. I had been on that other side back in the day. Back when I was naive and stupid.

Toby hooked my arm around mine and pulled me off the walk way and towards the dinner across the street. "Get it out of your mind little one."

His gruff voice pulled my attention from it. "You don't mess with the Island, keep your head in to the game and you'll survive."

This is why I knew it was taken me longer than it was suppose to, Tobin. I had lost perspective, but wasn't I Ashley? This was always my dilemma when dealing with the outsiders. Although I was one of them, I was actually a part of the coalition against the government. I needed to stay focus. Stepping into the dinner I spotted a free booth and bee-lined for it. Sitting myself on the side that faced the door, I watched Toby take his. Soon coffee was placed in front of us and the menus in hand.

Watching Tobin read the menu and knowing that he would always order then same was yet another thought that struck a nerve, instead of watching his habits to gain insight, I already it and know how the next scenario was already going to play out. The waitress, Susan, was very over weight and had copper curly hair and bright blue eye shadow; she was by far the nicest and most disarming person I had ever met. She knew everyone that was a regular, their name and their favourite meals, she had the strangers eating out of her hand and tipping big before they blew out of town.

"Good morning Toby; Ashley." A greeting called to us from behind.

"I'm going to assume you want the special." Her voice was light but her eyes were sharp, something I had not failed to notice. She placed a large but soft hand on my back; I had also notice that she was found of Ashley as well. Something it took me a while to achieve. Susan, knew everyone and when you were looking for some, she more than likely knew who, where and what they were doing.

"That and another cup of coffee." Toby smiled at the women and Susan blushed. The two had a thing, and that made it harder than it already was. My weakness, a old mushy love story.

"Yes please."

Smiling serenely the women made her way to the counter; she came back with our meals in one hand and a pot of black in the other. Pouring the sludgy stuff into two cups she plunked herself beside me.

"I have news for you." Her voice was soft but she remands as playful sending a quick wink to a patron as he passed our table. "A man was in here today, asked for water and if I knew where he could find a place."

As much as I liked the two around me, they were lowlifes. Susan would feel out people and give Toby the information. He would rob the unsuspected and a cut went to us, while the rest to Vincent who paid off the big guy.

"He was young looked strong but nothing I suspect the two of you can't handle." She smirked at me and sent Tobin a cheeky look. "I sent him up the street to the Copper Head."

"Got it." Patting the women's hands I sent her quirky look. "We'll swing by for lunch later and give you the cut."

Toby grunted around his fork, a little bit of scrambled egg in his beard. His eyes crinkled as Susan reached across the table in a huff, a napkin rubbing the ketchup off. Just like that business was over and life moved on.

A stranger, it was always a little difficult with these ones. Usually we pulled stuff from barns and warehouses. We could sell and reap that way. Occasionally we pulled a home heist. I was getting good at pick pocketing so I was never above a quick hand movement to get some lunch. We finished breakfast and were waiting for the bill when I gave up on my thought. Tobin was staring down at his empty coffee cup, his mood dropped when Susan left the bill on the table. Money was a hard thing to come by so I grabbed the bill; laying a few down on the table before rising. We were out the door across the street and down a far alley way, the usual meeting place for our band of baddies. The next to arrive after us was Jacob and Thompson McCalley, brothers form the south. They had a southern drawl to their voice that had the night girls giddy in there knee high boots. Drunks the both of them; and man when they got loaded, you better either be a dog or female or you were just another punching bag.

"G'Mornin Ashley. We were wondering if you'd show yourself." Jacob the twisted younger one spoke up from behind his brother's shadow. "Boy, did Vincent blow a gasket when you didn't show this morning, had ol' Toby here send for you."

"Enough Jacob, leave it alone." Tobin growled from behind me, he was such a doll when it came to Ashley. Glancing at Thompson my eye brows nestled together. I was always on high alert around this man, he was very perceptive about certain things and the way he looked at me wasn't something that made a girl feel pleasant, unless you wanted that kind of attention. I gave a stiff node to the both of them, before arms shot out around my shoulders. It was seconds before a felt a knee hit my gut and I collapsed under the foot on my back. That was going to really hurt in the morning.

Vincent was here, and boy was I in for it. After a decent thrashing, I raised a hand and caught a fist he sent at my face. "Not the face Vincent, don't want to fuck over the money maker."

A growl from Tobin had my mouth twitching even as I was getting a beating from a guy twice my size. Tobin had a thing about my potty mouth always lecturing me about my language. It always started with pretty faces don't use ugly words, and blah blah blah.

"Get up girl I want answers." Vincent stood up, usually he never did the hitting himself, didn't want to ruin his jacket of put a piece of hair out of place, with me though, he made wonderful exceptions . That was fine, the guy hit like wimpy kid, training with Tala or Brian was by far more intense then a beating from Vincent.

"I slept in, I'm a teenager, we sleep in, its what we do. Get over your need for an ego trip Vinny." I stood up only to be hit back down on the ground. Laughing I grabbed the hand that he hit me with pulling myself. You see this was nothing, beatings made you stronger in this age. I know your saying I'm crazy but look at it this way. Mother birds push their babies out of the nest in order for them to learn to fly. Without that initial push, a bird wouldn't learn to fly, thus the end justify the means you could say. It was a harsh world so if one had to be harsh; you rolled with it, learned and carried on. My beating on the other hand was one for Vinny to assert his dominance over the group, by making me an example to his other followers. I took it, for acting out wasn't the plan right now. That means I didn't wanting to show up the guy, I swallowed the need and gave his hand a firm squeeze I backed myself to the brick wall of the building. It bit into my, and gave me a little confidence when starting down the predatory man. If he tried to hit me this time I'd move so he hit the wall instead. Enough of this bull, I'm done.

"Vincent, we got to go. Susan gave us a lead on a wander she sent him to Copper head." Toby inched his way in front of Vincent placing his bulk between us. Jacob was grinning ear to ear; he always loved it when someone got a good thrashing, especially when he had front row seating. The sadistic creeper that made him must be very proud of his serial killer nature; I'd say he was a regular chip of the old block, after hearing some of the stories about dear daddy.

I couldn't see much beyond the bulk of Tobin, my right housed the screwball Jacob just smiling away at the argument between Tobin and Vincent. After the little announcement by Toby, both had started discussing the payment of Susan. Vincent didn't like the percentage that she was taking, he wanted to her from the deal. Tobin didn't like Vincent's tone. On my left was the end of the alley and the surprisingly busy street, it was like looking at another life. Mostly everyone was walking there were a couple trucks hauling large fish shipment or something else I neither cared to know about or further speculate in. The odd family would walk by but mostly just workmen and women who had day jobs someplace.

Something inside me started to burn after a little while of watching. I felt all tingly for a while and then something inside me started to feel all fuzzy. It took a second for me to notice the change but when it happened I saw him. My eye's targeted in on him as if by some divine light had spot lighted him. He walked by as if he had not a care in the world. His hair was longer in the back tied by some strap; he wore faded and worn jeans with a large workman's belt around his waist. Bangs hung into his face and his shirt hung low with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. It was unbuttoned to his middle and a black cotton shirt underneath it was tighter than women's skinny jeans. He had large tan work gloves on his hands. I must have made some sort of noise because the next thing I knew Toby was asking me what was wrong. Not prying my eyes off the man I watched him walk across the street up the stairs on the side of the dinner. The man had been living right under my nose the whole time.

"You've got to be kidding me, this whole time." Turning back to group I noticed a fire escape behind Thompson. Jacob and Vincent were watching me Tobin had leaned down to my height.

"What is it Ashes?" The man put a hand on my arm; he pulled back as if he was burned. "You're so warm."

The panic and speculation in his voice made me feel all the more guilty for what I was about to do. "I'm not sick Tobin; don't worry."

"You better start explaining, I don't like this big mystery about you." Jacob came closer to me; I swear the man had a sick thing for me.

"Back off Jacob, you don't know what you dealing with here." I brought myself up to my full height. I didn't need to act anymore, I hadn't lost after all. Tobin stood up; he was a lot smarter than I gave him credit for. He obliviously understood the depth of the situation. "Look boys it's been real, and I'm glad I learned so much from you. The next time I'm in the neighbourhood I'll look you up, but I have bigger fish to catch."

I started to move but Vincent put his hands on me. Looking over my shoulder I got hold of his elbow, executing an almost perfect defence move. Tala would have been proud of me for it. Vincent's elbow pooped and he fell to the ground. My bruised mid section had me wincing in the effort of pushing the man off, the man had hit me harder than I thought. "Your mind hasn't grasped onto the situation here. I used you Vincent not only as a cover, but for information purposes. I said thank you now I must be going."

I could almost feel the power I held in that moment, I had gotten a boost from the proximity of him, my energy had almost doubled. It was like taking a giant gulp of water; it hurts a little going down but the when it hit your stomach it feels pleasantly achy and full.

"So this is it, kid." Toby had me stopping; damn I really did like him, not just as Ashley but as Annabelle too. "When you had told me the reason you came here was for somebody; I knew when you found the guy you'd leave. I never thought it'd be so soon."

"You witch!" Vincent screamed in pain from the ground. "I'll kill you! Jacob, Thompson get her!"

Jacob was in my path but only a moment as Thompson had him up by his neck, Tobin must have just as shocked by this cause all he did was shrug and turn back to me. The poor guy looked defeated and lost.

"If you're so tough why did you let him beat up on you, not just now but multiple times?" The accusatory tone from made me squirming.

"Rules of the jungle Toby, I was the little man on the totem, I had to be believable. I understand if you don't trust me." I paused unsure of how to end this all. Normally I never get a chance to say good-bye. I shrugged not knowing what else to do; I wanted to tell him everything. Tobin was like the closest thing I had to a dad. I was Annabelle though, girl on mission helping the coalition to save the world. I stepped back physical distance was needed. Tobin's eye's narrowed, he watched me get farther away.

"This means that guy you're looking for is here, your leaving." Toby nodded to the area behind me, his voice was very finale like the chapter of our time together had ended. The fact that he was so calm alerted me, Tobin acted like this was nothing new, like I was just a child that he was letting go.

"Yeah this is it. But I mean it though; when I'm back I'll stop by." I paused and watched the display, between the brothers. Still not sure on why Thompson was protecting me, at least I think he was, but I took it gratefully none the less. "Words of advice my friend, as a parting gift."

Tobin narrowed his vision at me again. The constant glare was hard to take,

"For the next lost kitten that crosses your path. You may be the toughest guy around, but when it comes to a loaded barrel your skins just as soft as the rest of the worlds. Take care Toby."

"Goodbye little one." He called after me, Jacob and Vincent's shouts of betrayal were drowned out by the human activity of the street. Dodging a couple cars and making it to the metal fire escape that led to the apartment above Roxie's, I took the steps two at a time.

This was it, all the effort of the coalition brought to a single moment of me, in a back water town, standing in front of a dirty door. Reaching into my big jacket I pulled out a watch looking device, it was actual a tracking device that allowed my back up group emergency contact, encase something happened. Pushing a few buttons on the side of the watch a cracking sound was heard.

"This is Annabelle, I've got him, I need pick up on this location." I red light blinked on the watch as it sent a signal to the base on the ship far out of the fishing port. At the top of the stairs I stopped. I couldn't believe I was here it had been so long since I had been with him, so long since anyone had seen him. When he crossed the street he had walked the same way he always had, shoulders back a quick but thoughtful step, full of the power he was more than capable of.

My partner was beyond this, _Kai Hiwatari_ was right on the other side.

Won't he be surprised when he sees me?

* * *

NOTE: Well, now that were into proabably the longest chapter I've ever written (that makes 3 chapters total) I can only hope I've chaptured you attention. This is so much fun, I'm really in love with Annabelle. She is by far my best OC.

I hope to know what you think, it's really hard to gauge the acceptiance of this in Fanfiction if you don't have feedback.

Happy Writings!


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